Manager, Forward Deployed Engineering

Req ID: CSQ427R97 Location: Tokyo, Japan Mission We are FDEs! The Forward Deployed Engineering team is a highly specialized, customer-facing unit within Databricks. We work with strategic customers to design, build, and productionize high-impact data and AI solutions on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. As Manager, Forward Deployed Engineering, you will lead and grow a team of customer-facing engineers focused on solving complex data engineering and AI challenges for some of our most strategic customers. You will help shape delivery strategy, develop senior technical talent, build trusted executive relationships, and ensure our teams deliver measurable customer outcomes at high quality and scale. This is a hands-on leadership role: you will manage and grow the team while remaining the senior technical authority they escalate to. This role is ideal for a leader who combines strong people management with deep technical credibility in data engineering, platform architecture, and large-scale production delivery. The impact you will have • Lead, hire, mentor, and grow a team of ~10 high-performing Forward Deployed Engineers, building a strong culture of technical excellence, customer obsession, and execution • Partner with customers and internal stakeholders to shape complex engagements that deliver meaningful business outcomes on Databricks • Guide teams through end-to-end solution delivery, from discovery and architecture through implementation, deployment, and enablement • Build trusted relationships with technical and executive stakeholders, acting as a senior advisor during strategic customer engagements • Serve as the senior technical escalation point for the team. Stay hands-on enough to dive into architecture reviews, unblock complex delivery issues, and mak…